Scores of general duties officers were corralled onto a roadside near the Glenfield Road overpass for a drug-driving operation.

Among those drivers pinged with drugs in their system were a 19-year-old learner driver and his 38-year-old supervisor, whose only defence could be “breathtaking stupidity”.

The city’s drug-driving scourge should be a source of embarrassment for us all.

A staggering one in four drivers tested in Wagga since the testing roll-out have recorded positive readings.

Horrifyingly, one in six drivers tested are affected by ice.

People on ice are often paranoid and deluded, not the ideal state of mind when you’re behind the wheel of a car.

How drivers believe they can ingest illicit substances and drive a vehicle is a mystery that only a drug-addled mind could explain.

Wagga Courthouse has become a revolving door of druggies, with some addicts making regular appearances for being high as a kite while in the driver’s seat.

This is no longer an issue confined to police reality TV shows.

It is happening en masse in our community and as a community we must confront it.

Just like drunk drivers, drug drivers pose a clear and present danger to all road users. 

And just like drink driving, the anti-drug driving message must be seared into our collective consciousness.

The shame of fronting court should be enough of a deterrent.

But apparently it’s not.

The fear of having a criminal drug conviction next to your name and having your job plunged into jeopardy should be enough of a deterrent.

But apparently it’s not.

For those that think roadside drug testing is an attack on civil liberties, think again.

Drug laws are in place largely to protect people from themselves.

It may be true that many citizens take drugs on weekends and still contribute positively to the community.

And it may be true police are checking for the presence of a drug in a driver’s system, rather than impairment.

But those arguments are trumped by one undeniable truth – taking drugs is illegal.

Just say no.